Inside Information
by Razell
Summary: For cops who fight the monsters lurking in the darkness, it's always good to have an inside man. Even when that man is a ghoul.
1. Chapter 1

Inside Information

1

The sound was like a pack of hyenas giggling, barking, laughing. It echoed through the tunnels, unnerving the men waiting, watching the darkness. Harrison was reminded of Pickman's painting off a desolate subway overrun with ghouls. His Glock was locked and loaded, just in case. Once or twice a man would catch a glimpse of shining red eyes on hunched shadows, and shiver. One of the shadows moved out from the darkness and into the light.

Thomas Longtooth was not a particularly handsome man, and the dim light and dark tunnel did nothing to improve his appearance. He was gaunt, with a sallow complexion and scruffy hairs on his chin. His dark black hair was longer than fashionable, and his clothes were somewhat disheveled. His brown eyes gleamed with a restrained ferocity. His hands were rough and gnarled and his nails were long and thick. He was able to pass for human, but ghouls and most other non-humans everywhere recognized him for what he really was. He was a frightening looking man in any situation, but he was also an ally.

It was good to have an inside man, even when that man was a ghoul.

"Tonight." he said bluntly, "The Tcho-Tchos are going to try to summon _Him_ tonight. Midnight. 153 Tsang street. "

The men were silent for a moment, the barking and giggling receding into the distance. Harrison didn't really know why the ghouls would rat out the Tcho-Tcho, maybe they were afraid of the competition. He didn't want to think about _that_. Ghouls were everywhere, like rats, almost nothing happened in the city without their knowing of it. They'd helped the Police Special Cases Squad solve dozens of crimes, and committed a few as well.

"If they succeed, what will it mean?" Harrison wasn't sure he wanted to know.

Longtooth shrugged, "Shugoran might come. He is The Herald of Death, so I imagine it wouldn't be very pleasant to be around him. Of course, even if he doesn't come they _will_ sacrifice someone, so at least one life is at stake here."

"That's putting it mildly." Walker said nervously, "I've seen the case files. I know how Shugoran kills. He sucks his victim's lungs out of their mouth." Walker was a small, balding chubby man in plainclothes who carried an air of nervousness about him.

"He is also an avatar of Nyarlathotep." Harrison added, "And no good can come from anything associated with _Him_."

Longtooth stroked the hair on his chin, "It won't get that far." He paused, "If the police can't handle this, my people will."

Walker shuddered at the thought of ghouls pouring into a suburban home and ripping the occupants into tiny pieces. "It won't come to that," Harrison said, "We have a victim to worry about, and if your people come in they'll slaughter the Tcho-Tchos. They might not be fully human, but that doesn't mean we can just kill them off-hand."

"These are not. . ." Longtooth searched for the words, "_Civilians_? Not _all_ Tcho-Tcho are evil monsters, but these particular ones are. And, unfortunately, they know spells. Their god, Derz-Hophza, _Chaugnar Faugn_, is a powerful and terrible one. There may be vengeance."

Harrison understood what the ghoul meant, but this was America, and people had certain Civil Rights. Most people believed the Tcho-Tcho to be fully human, and taking drastic action against them would draw unwanted publicity and cause a repeat of The Innsmouth fiasco of the '20's. Still, these individuals weren't innocent people being targeted for their race, they were evil people who happened to be Tcho-Tcho, and, as long as they lived, they could cast spells and curses in behalf of their gods and demons.

"If we spent time worrying about revenge, we wouldn't be able to do anything against _them_. We've taken on big hitters before, like those Cthulhu worshipers at the docks last year."

"Are your people worried?" Walker asked.

"Mordiggian will protect his people. But we do not want to ask _too_ much of him."

"'You must not put God to the test', eh?"

"Exactly."

"I suggest we get the team together. We should strike as soon as possible." Harrison turned to Longtooth, "Do you know who the victim is?"

"They haven't decided yet. They'll probably snatch someone at random, preferably a young woman."

"Let's move out. We have enough for a warrant in any case. I'd be happy to stop this before any civilians get involved."

To be continued . . .

Notes:

Ghouls are basically human, just a different branch of humanity. The Tcho-Tcho are the product of humans interbreeding with creatures created by Chaugnar Faugn called the Miri Nigri.

_Mordiggian_, The Charnel God, The Great Ghoul, god of ghouls, death and decay. He cares only for ghouls and almost entirely ignores humanity unless they directly threaten his people. He's fairly benign, even noble at times, but his wrath is terrible.

_Derz-Hophza_ is a name used by some cults in reference to _Chaugnar Faugn_, the evil, elephant headed, bloated vampiric god of the Tcho-Tcho.


	2. Chapter 2

Inside Information

2

8:52 PM

153 Tsang Street.

The SWAT team batted down the door and rushed into the house, guns drawn. "Police! Get down on the floor!" A small, ugly bald man who seemed to be made entirely of solid muscle rushed forward with a machete, a shot to the chest brought him down. The bullet lodged in muscle, he was only winded and still put up a fight. It took five officers to get the Tcho-Tcho cuffed and manacled while the rest of The Police Special Cases Squad rushed into the suburban home. "The Basement!" Harrison shouted. A door flew open, striking the cop and flinging him against the opposing wall. "May _The Curse of Derz-Hophza _be upon you!" Another short, heavily muscled figure hissed, his voice filled with malice. He flung himself at Harrison, who used a Judo move on the creature, ramming his near-unbreakable skull through the drywall. As the Tcho-Tcho pulled his head out Harrison hit him with the gun. The man crumpled, out cold.

Under normal circumstances, such actions would be considered excessive force, but the law recognized that Tcho-Tcho were tough enough to shrug off just about anything, and these guys were vicious as hell. He didn't have time to cuff the creature, more officers moved in with manacles as Harrison and his team moved toward the back of the house.

They didn't get far.

Shots rang out from the kitchen, and the officers responded in force. The shooter was a wizened old woman with teeth sharpened like knives, calling down curses from shriveled lips in the names of Azathoth, Nyarlathotep, Derz-Hophza and a dozen others. Harrison threw in a tear gas grenade. The Tcho-Tcho were built like Fort Knox, but they still had to breathe like everyone else. The old woman stumbled from the kitchen, coughing, and the police jumped on her. She fought like a wild animal and her wicked teeth tore deeply into an officer's arm before she was secured in a straightjacket and protective mask. The bitten man was rushed out at once to a waiting ambulance. Who knew if her teeth were coated in some sort of poison?

Harrison hated dealing with Tcho-Tcho.

He kicked open the door to the basement, knocking back another knife-wielding Tcho-Tcho who had been rushing up the stairs to join the fight. He fell about fifteen feet onto hard cement and got right back up, more angry than hurt. Half a dozen men and women glared hatefully up from the candle-lit basement at the intruder. Harrison leveled his Glock at the small group of cultists gathered below, "Freeze! Police! Put your hands in the air! Get on the ground!" No one complied. The Tcho-Tcho had the apparent advantage, the police would have to come in one at a time, while they had already gathered below.

One of the Tcho-Tcho, presumably the officiating priest, picked up a gilded bone dagger and made his way toward the stairs shrieking curses as the others rushed up to greet the policemen, unarmed save for their supernatural strength. These small, compact people could rip a man limb from limb with their bare hands. Harrison tossed in another tear gas grenade, then another. The police waited until the cultists were retching on the floor before moving in with heavy manacles and straightjackets. Judging from their garb, or in some cases, lack of, these people were getting ready for a major ceremony.

Well, the party was over.

A cursory examination of the room told Harrison all he needed to know.

It was all there, the bloody stone altar and the blood-smeared idol of Derz-Hophza, Chaugnar Faugn, a bloated, elephant-headed monstrosity carved in mockery of the Buddhist Sitting Lotus. The room was dimly lit by greasy, foul smelling candles. Experience told Harrison that they were made of human fat. He scowled in disgust. At least there wasn't a body, this time. He doubted they'd find any past victims, the Tcho-Tcho cultists were usually cannibals. No, a cannibal is someone who eats his _own_ kind. Ghouls were far more closely related to humans than Tcho-Tcho.

He didn't care to think what that said about ghouls.

"You . . . Have no right . . ." The High Priest gasped, "In . . . This country . . . _Rights_ . . ."

"You're right. _You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you cannot afford . . ._"

"You . . . Prove nothing . . ."

"And when we test the blood on the altar and that fat, ugly elephant god of yours, what do you suppose we'll find? And the candles? No, you're going away for a _long_ time . . ."

"May _The Curse of_ . . ."

"Yes, yes, I've heard it all before. I've been cursed by Cthulhu, Azathoth, Dagon and too many others to name. And I'm still here. And as long as I'm here, I'm going to fight you _and_ your perverted gods."

The police dragged the shrieking, cursing priest away as Harrison turned to look at Chaugnar Faugn. The idol's deep set eyes conveyed a sense of utter malevolence. "If your followers are any indication, you're one _sick_ son of a . . ."

"Detective Harrison." An officer came up to him, "We found bones in the kitchen . . ."

"Human?"

Even through the gas mask he could see her face twist in disgust. "Yes, sir. It appears so."

Harrison cursed and walked out. He needed some fresh air.

11:25

"We got them all, thanks to you."

Thomas Longtooth smiled, revealing fearsome teeth, "We are always eager to help the authorities."

Harrison shuddered despite himself.

The End.


End file.
